In the field of disposable waste containment garments, there is a continuing effort to improve both wearing comfort and the ability to contain body wastes. Elasticized disposable diapers providing superior fit and liquid waste containment are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,003, issued to Buell on Jan. 14, 1975. The present invention is directed to improving containment of such garments having elasticized leg flaps, particularly containment of runny solids waste material.
Contemporary disposable diaper topsheets have small pores which can prevent the diaper core from efficiently absorbing or capturing runny waste material. In such cases, the waste material tends to "float" on the topsheet's surface. Over a short period of time, particularly if the wearer is active, the runny waste material can become smeared on the wearer's skin surfaces and work its way past the elastic leg flaps. The present invention improves containment of such runny waste material by providing elasticized leg flaps with barrier walls that dam lateral flow of body wastes and minimize smearing on skin surfaces. In addition, the padded (i.e., resilient) elastic leg flaps in accordance with the present invention increase wearing comfort.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,342, issued to Lindquist et al. on Mar. 23, 1971, describes an attempt to improve a disposable diaper's waste containment characteristics by securing strips of resilient hydrophobic polymer foam along each side of a diaper's upper surface to provide a seal between the diaper's outer portion and the wearer's legs. However, since the diaper is not provided with means for pressing the sealing strips against the wearer's legs, it is inadequate for containing runny waste material.
In light of the above, a principle object of the present invention is to provide a disposable waste containment garment having elasticized leg flaps that include longitudinally extending inboard facing barrier walls which function as dams against lateral flow of body wastes.
Another object of the present invention is to improve the wearing comfort of an elasticized disposable waste containment garment by padding the elastics with a resilient leg cuff member that provides a snug fit around the legs without causing discomfort to the wearer.